The Journey Itself Is Home

Since I’m a bit of a demonologist, I LOVE this version of Declare Your Independence!

That film was shown first when I was eleven or twelve and it was so much discussed in the media that it made me almost permanently scared of going to sleep. I was afraid that I, too, would become possessed by the devil.

Anyway…

The Nattúra concert was yesterday. It was crowded. Unfortunately, Björk had a bit of a cold and wasn’t on form, but she didn’t lose her sense of humour. She even likened herself to Johnny Cash! Unfortunately all the jokes were in Icelandic and so were lost on the foreigners watching the concert on the web.

I think the band was OK. I realize that the present version of Wanderlust may have sounded like we were playing wrong notes, but we weren’t. The organ part is very off key, but that’s a transcription of the Matthew Herbert mix, and when it gets combined with the brass part of the original version, it sounds weird. Björk has said several times that she likes it as it is and so I keep playing it. It probably sounds better live than from a webcast.

Given Björk’s condition last night I’m personally of the opinion we should all be grateful that we didn’t cancel the show. She is a hero for being there and going through with it.

I was very tired after the concert. I had imagined partying all night, but only a couple of hours later I was back home!

Somebody told me that when the wife of a french minister, who came with him on a public visit to England, was interviewed there, the reporter asked her: “What is the most important thing in your life. She answered: “Happiness.” She didn’t speak English very well, so she pronounced it “A Penis.”

It was a scandal, of course.

Compared to this, occasional glitches in our performance in Paris tonight were of minor consequence. The energy from the audience was tremendous. I think it will become a great film.

Somewhat surprisingly, a lot of people in the audience waved the Tibetan flag when we performed Declare Your Independance.

Obviously, many still keep the faith!

Our brief visit to Paris has been fun. I love this city. But it is very hot compared to Iceland, so my excursion into the Latin quarter yesterday was cut short. Right now I’m sitting in the green room, some of the brass girls are asking for Vodka. There will be a party shortly.

And tomorrow: Iceland again!

I just got an email from our tour manager, with e tickets, etc. His final words were:

“It all begins again very soon, so be afraid, be very afraid.”

The tour is starting soon indeed. In a week or so we leave for Paris, for a concert that will be filmed. That’s pretty daring, considering that we have had a hiatus of two months. I will certainly be afraid, very much afraid, during that filming!

Or not.

Maybe I should be practicing now, instead of writing this…

(trembling)